Understood
by katierosefun
Summary: Kanan lifted a weak hand. "It'll pass," he said, closing his eyes. "Okay, Ezra? Do you understand?" [Sick!Kanan – friendship/family fluff. Post season-finale.]


Hello, everyone! Katierose aka Caroline here! And holy crud, I saw the _Star Wars Rebels _season two trailer two days ago - is anyone else still screaming? I mean - _Ahsoka. __Vader. Rex. The masked Inquisitor. Sabine's new hair. Space family. _(And since I'm such a _TCW _fan, seeing Ahsoka and Vader and Rexter just made me - *sobs loudly*.

But anyways, watching the S2 trailer inspired me to finish this story, which I started after S1 ended. *Finally!* Enjoy!

* * *

_Understood _

Kanan Jarrus tried to ignore the pounding in his head as he got ready to face the day. He tried to ignore the cloudy mist hovering over his eyes; he tried to ignore the constant shivers that ran up and down his spine. Gradually, Kanan let his head fall to his hands – though whether it was from frustration or his headache, he couldn't really tell. He breathed deeply through his nose and out through his mouth. He repeated the process until he could gather enough strength to walk out the door.

Kanan instantly regretted doing so, especially when the bright, white lights of the hallway flashed in his eyes. He cringed automatically – and blinking a few times, headed down the hallway, only to find that the rest of the crew was already awake. This, unfortunately, also meant that there were loud disruptions already taking place.

"Okay, well, it wasn't my fault that Chopper undid the bolts again!" Ezra was snapping at Zeb. "And it's not like I asked to be on the top bunk! Why don't you try, anyways?" There was a snort from the Lasat, followed by an indignant, "Well, maybe I should! That way, I can crush you when the bed bolts get undone again!"

"Oh, so you think you're so tough, big guy?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Will you two _shut up?!_" Sabine hollered, slapping her hands on the table. "Do you guys have _any _idea how annoying it is to hear you yap and fight all day –"

"And here I was, thinking today would actually be peaceful," a voice murmured from behind Kanan. The man whirled around (and tried to ignore the immediate wave of dizziness that washed over him) to face Hera, who was shaking her head sadly at the three at the table. Crossing her arms, Hera walked forward and cleared her throat loudly. To her credit, the ruckus instantly (miraculously) died down.

"Now that we've got _that _under control," Hera stated, "does anyone mind telling me what's going on here?"

"Chopper undid the bed bolts –"

"The twerp fell on me –"

"I was trying to paint but these two –"

Hera sighed. Shaking her head again, she looked over to Kanan, as if to say, _backup, please? _Kanan pressed his lips together and stepping forward, he said as calmly as he possibly could, "Just don't make a mess. Whatever Chopper did – or whatever you three did – well, you'll have to clean up after yourselves. Let's not tear apart the ship today, huh?" Ezra blinked, bewildered. "That's it?" he asked and when receiving a warning punch on the arm from Zeb, the boy quickly said, "I mean…yeah. No chaos involved. I'll just be…you know, minding my own business. Doing as I'm told. Completely off-radar and –"

"C'mon, kid," Zeb growled, grabbing Ezra by the collar. "And shut your blabbing."

xXx

"Are you okay?" Hera asked, examining the switches on the dashboard. Kanan and she were seated in the cockpit, with Hera running some diagnostic-checks and Kanan, well…standing by. And making sure that Hera didn't do anything wrong while doing so. (Though Kanan never understood why he tagged along; it was always obvious that Hera knew what she was doing.)

Kanan hadn't noticed that he was dozing off until Hera actually started talking to him, either. Blinking a few times, Kanan automatically answered, "Yeah. Of course." (He decided to leave out the detail that his throat was beginning to feel strange. And that he was also finding it harder to pay attention to the details around him.) Almost defensively, Kanan asked, "Why?" Hera hummed softly under her breath and responded, "Just checking, love. You looked tired when we ran into the kids."

Kanan smiled halfheartedly and rubbing his hands over his face, he said as casually as he could, "Well, that's true. I _am _tired." Hera turned to look at him – and with softening eyes, she said, "Then why don't you get some rest?" As Kanan opened his mouth to argue, the Twi'lek added gently, "I can hold the fort without you for a while. Besides, a pilot should have some alone-time with her ship once in a while." Kanan pressed his lips together. "Are you –"

"Sure? I would think I am," Hera replied, standing up. "Get some rest if you can, and then come back up when you're not tired anymore. Pilot's orders."

xXx

"Where's Kanan?" Ezra asked, looking around the room as if any minute, his mentor might really just appear. Hera set a plate in front of him with some protein cubes – and doing the same for Zeb and Sabine, she answered, "In his quarters. He said he was tired, so he's getting some sleep now." Sabine frowned. "But it's not even noon yet," she pointed out. "How could Kanan be tired if –"

"That's all he said," Hera interrupted, not unkindly. All the same, there was a warning note in her voice that caused Sabine to fall silent. The girl simply turned down to look at her food, shuffling it around. Ezra, too, looked down at his plate uneasily. After a few moments of halfhearted silence, Ezra asked, "Can I…bring food up to him? You know, just in case?"

Hera's eyes softened. She nodded her head and said, "I'm sure Kanan will…appreciate that." With those words said, the Twi'lek left the room.

xXx

True to his word, Ezra took a plate and headed for Kanan's room. Knocking lightly on the door, the boy called softly, "Kanan?" When no response came, Ezra opened the door, trying to ignore how loud it sounded. He took a few quiet steps in, repeating, "Kanan?" Slowly, he made out the form of his master on his bunk – and it only took several more steps for Ezra to realize that Kanan was trembling. Kanan's head shook from side to side; sweat coated his face; his breath kept hitching and his chest was rising and falling frantically.

Ezra slowly lowered the plate to the ground and walked forward. Eyebrows furrowing together worriedly, Ezra leaned against the bunk, staring down at the older man. Hesitantly, the boy pushed a hand up to Kanan's forehead – and instantly, the man's eyes opened. "Ezra," Kanan mumbled. His eyes were unfocused – his voice soft and weak. "_Out_."

Ezra only stared. He was painfully aware of the heat radiating from Kanan's forehead and worriedly, he said, "You're burning up." Kanan made a small noise from the back of his throat – and quickly withdrew from Ezra. "Go," the older man said through gritted teeth. "I'm fine. _Leave_."

"But you're _not _–"

"_Ezra_," the firmness in Kanan's voice cut the boy off. His eyes closed and fluttering back open, Kanan said quietly, "This'll pass. Don't worry –" The rest of his sentence was drowned out by a coughing fit, long and rough and causing Ezra to cringe. "Kanan," Ezra only said, watching as his master fought to regain composure. Kanan lifted a weak hand. "It'll pass," he said, closing his eyes. "Okay, Ezra? Do you understand?"

"But –"

"Ezra. Please."

Ezra's mouth closed. He glared down at Kanan and without another word, he spun on his heel and stormed out of the room.

xXx

_He's an idiot, _Ezra thought indignantly to himself, rolling his light saber quickly between his hands. _An absolute idiot. _He let out a loud groan and flung himself back on his bunk, staring up at the ceiling. He considered telling Hera – or Zeb or at least, Sabine, but dismissed the ideas as quickly as they came. It wouldn't do any good – and Kanan. What would he say? It would be for the best, of course, but…

Ezra rolled over on his side. This was the first time he had ever been put in this position – in which someone older than him – an actual _friend _was ill. Of course, Ezra had witnessed his mother or his father getting sick several times, but Ezra was never told to leave. His parents always got better – they always had each other if things were _very _bad, they'd turn to friends and neighbors. But what to do when _Ezra _was supposed to be the one to…step up? And Ezra _did _want to help Kanan – he truly, really did – but it was new. It was uncharted territory. It was something that Ezra hadn't been associated with.

Until now.

Ezra pushed himself off the bunk and started to walk out the room. Jaw and shoulders squared, Ezra looked for medical supplies around the ship. It took some time – and the medbay was rather small – but the boy managed to find some fever reducers. Clutching onto them, Ezra took a few steps out – and hurried back in, this time to get water.

xXx

"Sorry," Ezra mumbled apologetically as Kanan cringed back. The older man's eyes were squeezed shut in evident pain. He kept clutching and unclenching his hands – and he shook even harder when Ezra laid out a cooling compact on the forehead. The boy took the fever reducers and the cup of water he had taken from the medbay. And breathing in, Ezra gently shook his master awake. Kanan shifted away with a soft moan, his body turning from Ezra slightly.

Ezra hated himself for shaking Kana again – but this time, the older man's eyes _did _open. Though they were unusually bright with fever and still flickering, Kanan asked hoarsely, "What are you doing here?"

"Helping you," Ezra replied. He held up the cup of water and the few fever reducers. "I just need you to swallow these." Without waiting, he carefully slipped the small pills into Kanan's mouth and brought the cup to his lips. Kanan, only slightly bringing himself up, obediently swallowed the water and the medicine before falling back again.

Ezra watched as Kanan's body stiffened. There was a long pause and then, Kanan let out a long breath. "Head hurts," was his only comment on the matter. Ezra fidgeted. "Sorry," he repeated. Kanan's head lolled weakly over to the younger boy. "You should leave," he mumbled, halfheartedly trying to shove Ezra away. Kanan heaved a great cough into the crook of his elbow and clearing his throat, added, "_Now_."

The boy squared his jaw. Crossing his arms, he replied defiantly, "No. I'm staying."

"_Ezra_," Kanan groaned, but the boy didn't budge. "I don't want _you _getting sick."

"I have a strong immune system," Ezra replied stubbornly. "Lived by myself, remember?"

Kanan paused. Then, grudgingly, he said, "Doesn't mean it's a good idea to stick around now."

Sensing a weakening in Kanan's words, Ezra let his arms fall to his sides and said, "I'm going to get you more water." He took the cup and ducked out of the room. The second the door closed behind him, Ezra came short to see Chopper sitting right across from him in the hallway. In his usual manner, Chopper let out a bunch of grumpy – yet curious – sounds. The message was clear – _what do you think you're doing? _

"Kanan's sick," Ezra said, crouching down in front of the droid. "Only he doesn't want anyone to know. So I'm gonna try to help him." Chopper made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a sigh. (That is, if droids _could _sigh.) Ezra grinned, standing back up. "You can help, if you want. As long as you don't…accidentally open the cargo hold on us." Chopper spun its head around, which Ezra took for a reluctant agreement. "Okay, then," Ezra said, starting to walk down the hallway. "Our little mission is a go."

Chopper proved to be of some help, as Ezra found out. Each time Ezra made a grab for something, Chopper would shake his head and direct the boy to something else. Ezra was, of course, slightly suspicious at first, but after some time, he realized that this was Chopper's own way of showing concern. _Droids…_

Kanan had fallen back asleep when Ezra returned – Chopper had decided to wander off somewhere else – but the boy didn't mind. Sitting down on the area next to the bunk, Ezra pulled his knees up to his chest and let his head fall back to the mattress. He blinked a few times around the dark room – and the only sounds in the room being Kanan's deep breaths, Ezra slipped into sleep.

xXx

Kanan woke up eventually. For a few seconds, he had to gather what was going on around him – and about the familiar presence just next to him. Painfully propping himself up, Kanan saw Ezra sitting a little ways away from him. Managing a smile, Kanan pushed off his top blanket and pushed it over Ezra. The boy murmured out a small sigh before digging his head deeper into the mattress.

_Kids…_

xXx

"So, boys, what have we learned today?" Hera asked, shaking her head at Ezra and Kanan. Both were bedridden, looking absolutely miserable – well, Kanan looked better than Ezra, but the guilt on the older man's face made him look paler than he had been before.

"Um…never trust Chopper with a secret?" Ezra asked weakly before coughing into his arm.

"_No_," Hera replied sharply. "If _anyone _is feeling even the _least _sick, you _tell _me instead of slinking off and hiding away." At the last comment, she gave a pointed glare at Kanan. Both Kanan and Ezra wilted. Sighing, Hera rubbed her hands over her eyes and said tiredly, "Next time, we'll figure something out _together_. Okay?"

Ezra and Kanan nodded in unison, exchanging sheepish glances with each other.

As soon as Hera left, Kanan said, "I told you so, kid."

Ezra groaned. "Fine."

Kanan chuckled throatily under his breath. Puffing out a sigh, he added, "But thanks. Still appreciated it."

xXx

So, maybe Hera being annoyed wasn't something Kanan particularly enjoyed – but seeing Ezra's face light up was definitely worth it.

* * *

**A/N - **As you can tell, I'm still obsessed with Kanan and Ezra's beautiful relationship. I'm waiting for the day Kanan ends up hugging Ezra, because I'm pretty sure my family/friendship/platonic-loving heart would just explode from the awesomeness of it all. *patiently waits for Filoni to try to think up of a scene like that*

And I feel that the majority of _Star Wars Rebels _fan fictions revolve around Ezra being sick/hurt (and I mean, I must admit myself that it's a very tempting wormhole to curl into - because Ezra is just _too _precious for this world), but I think I have a slight obsession with Kanan being sick/hurt. *sighs* Oh, my whump-loving self..._why?!_

As always, reviews are great! Constructive criticism is tolerable, but flames are not!


End file.
